Umbrella-rib.



` PATBNTBD 11,116.4, 1908,

Y M. G. MUGUIRE. UMBRBLLA RIB.

APPLICATION FILED NSV. 26,1907.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

MICHEL G. MCGUIRE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YQRK.

Specification o! Letters Patent.

. UnmRELLA-RIB.

Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

Application filed November 26, 1907. Serial No. 403,893.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1 Mier-MEL G. MCGUIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara. Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Umbrella-Ribs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ribs for umbrellas and parasols, and is designed, primarily, as an improvement upon the form ef umbrella rib and brace, as set forth in Letters Patent granted to me May 21, 1907 No.

Y 854,663; and the object thereof is to rovide,

in a manner as hereinafter set fort i, what may be termed a combined umbrella rio and brace embodying a rib member and a brace member suitably connected together sothat one member is ada )ted to reinforce the other, whereby an umbre la rib of unusual strength is provided so that when a plurality of ribs in accordance with this invention is used in connection with an umbrella and when the umbrella embodying such ribs is extended, it will, owing to the rib construction, possess unusual rigidity so as not to collapse or be turned inside-out by sudden gusts of wind.

A further object of the invention is to rovide an umbrella rib, in a manner as heremafter set forth, and which embodies a rib member and a brace member, said members being tlexible, as well as resilient, whereby when a plurality of ribs in accordance with this invention forms a part of an umbrella and when the lower ends are released during the act of o )ening the umbrella, the. lower portions of the ribs will be caused to reject away from the stick of the umbrella tltereby facilitating the opening thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an umbrella rib, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, and which embodies a rib member and a 'brace member, said brace member being positioned above the rib member, connected to the lower end of the rib member, slidably connected to the rib member at a point removed from its upper end, and so constructed as to receive the rib member as an entirety when the umbrella is closed, otlering no obstacle to lpermit compact rolling after the umbrel a has been closed, said brace member further acting as a continuation of the rib member when the rib member is extended,whereby an internal support is provided for that portion of the umbrella cover which is arranged above and not attached to the rib member.

Further objects of the invention reside in the roviding of a sectional umbrella rib whic 1 shall be unusually strong and with oneJA section receiving and reinforcing the other sect-ion, durable, possessing the necessary resiliency to facilitate the o ening of the umbrella when the ribs are rc eased, allowing of a compact folding of the umbrella, capable of beiner readily attached to a runner and notchedD collar, simple in construction, readily assembled and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

iVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throufrhout the several views Figure 1 is allongitudinal sectional view of my umbrella rib in accordance with this invention, showin@` the same connected with the umbrella stizlt; Fig. Z is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section online 3 3 of Fig. 1; `ig. 4 1s a section on line 4 4.0i Fig. 1.-; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a rib in accordance withthis invention; Fig. 6 is an inverted plan of the brace member of the rib; Fiff. 7 is an inverted plan of a modified form ofurace member; Fig. S is a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, and, Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 7.

` Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 denotes the umbrella stick upon which is mounted a runner 2 having a notch 3 whereby t-he runner 2 can takeover the latch 4 carried by the stick. lT he runner 2 is of that class which is shifted towards the handle end of the umbrella when openinor the latter. Fixed to the stick 1 is a notched collar 5. Upon the outer end of the stick is carried a ferrule 6. The foregoing elements are of known construction and are illustrated so that the adaptation of an umbrella rib in accordance with this invention can be thor.- ouehly understood.

r i umbrella rib in accordance with this invention embodies a rib member 7 and a brace member S, each of which is formed of a. suitable resilient materia-l. The rib member 7 at its upper end is provided with an eye as at 9, whereby said upper end of the member 7 can be pivotally connected as at 1() to the runner 2. The rib member 7 is connected at vits lower end and' at a point removed from its upper end to the brace member 8. Nhen the umbrella is extended the portion of the rib lnelnber between the two points of connection nests within the brace member S and when the umbrella. is closed the rib member i 7, substantially as an entirety, is adapted to nest in the brace member S. To provide for the nesting of tne rib member 7 within the brace member S the latter, when of the formshown in Fig. 1, is substantially U-shaped in cross section.

The brace member 8 is of com ound curvature, and as before stated, su stantially U-shaped in cross section. The lower end of the brace member 8 is formed with a pair of extensions 11 which are clamped around the lower end of tlie rib member 7, the latter being provided with an eye 12 for connect-ing the umbrella cover 13 thereto. The biace member 8 is furthermore provided intermediate the ends thereof with a pair of extensions 14 which are clamped around the rib member 7. The clamping of the extensions around the rib member 7 is had in such manner as to form a sliding connection between the two members. That portion of the nicmber 8 between the extensions 14 and its upper end is substantially convex in contour the stick so that. the operation of opening the t umbrella will be vastly facilitated. ll'hcn the rib is moved to closcd position, or rather retained in parallel'sin with respect to the stick, tension will Le stored in thc upper po'rtioii of the brace member and conse uently when the latter is released the rib will e projected automatically from the stick. The

upper end of the brace member S is pivot-` ally connected to the notched collar, as at 15a. In Fig. 7 of the drawings a modified form of brace member is illustrated and which is indicated by the reference character l5. The member 15 is formed tubular a portion of its length, as at 16, said tubular portion surrounding the rib member 7. The ey: of the rib member 7 to which the cover is attached rojccts through a slot 17 formed in the ibwer end of the brace member 15. The u per portion lSof the brace member 15 is su stantially U-shaped'in contour and terminates in the tubular portion 16. The portion 18 gradually decreases in width toward its 'upper end.

From t-he manner of setting up tbe rib member 7 with respect to the bracemcmber S it is evident that one member reinforces the other and that furthermore when the umbrella is extended and a sudden gust of wind strikes the. cover the. umbrella is prevented from collapsing or turning inside-out owing to the fact that the members between the extensions 1'4 and 11 will bow in an opposite direction with respect to each other, the rib member bowing m 'a concave manner and the brace member bowing in a convex manner, consequently' setting up an unusually rigid rib and preventing the same from bowing in a concave manner as an entirety, thus preventing thel umbrella from turning inside-out.

'hcn a rib embodying a rib member 7 and a brace member 15 is used the inclosing of the'rib member by the brace member will pre vent the bowing of the members in an opposite direction with respect to each other in case of the umbrella being struck by a heavy gust of wind, yet thebrace member will be reinforced by the rib member to suc'n an extent as to prevent the bowing of the rib proper in either direction to an extent which would cause the collapsing or turning insidc-out of the'uinbrclla. In the rib and brace shown in Patent No. 854,663 the brace member is of a length as to terminate at the upper portion of tbc rib member, the lower ciid of the brace member being fixed to the rib member. This construction does not provide means for bracing that portion of the rib member below the point of connection between the lower endof the brace member and upper portion of the rib member. A rib as herein disclosed provides means for reinforcing the rib member from the point of connection between it and the brace member to the lower end of the rib, and by such reinforcement additional rigidity is viven to the rib so as to prevent the um- )rella vfrom colla sing or turning inside-out when the umbrclila 1s struck by :i sudden gust of wind.

An advantage possessed by an umbrella rib in accordance with this invention is that when the umbrella is closed there is less liability of the cover being cut by the ribs owing to the fact that the ribs are substantially cylindrical in cross section, presenting no sharp corners which will be liable to cut the cover as is the case in the ordinary U-shaped rib now in general use.

A further advantage of setting up a rib embodying a-brace member and a rib member is that it enables the pivoted ends of the said members to be ositioned in close proximity to the outer end) of the stick than is the case with the umbrellas now in vogue. Such ar- -p'rangement provides a greater covering area as the shoulders of the user can extend further within the umbrella than is the case with the umbrellas now in general use as the bridge iii the umbrellas now in use is arranged further from the outer end of the stick than the pivotal connections for the rib in accordance with this invention.

lVhat I claim is- 1. An umbrella rib comprisinga rib meinber and a brace member, said brace member rovided with means embracing the rib memer whereby the said members are connected together, the upper end of the brace member being free of the upper end of the i'ib member.

An umbrella rib com rising two inembers, one of said members 'ormed with a pair of extensions at one end and with another pair of extensions at a point removed from the other end, said pairs of extensions overlapping the other member'at one end and at a point removed from its other end, said pairs of extensions providing means whereby when ibssure is a )plied to the rib when the umbre la `isy exten ed, ortions of the members between the sai( pairs of extensions will bow`in'" pposite directions with respect to each otlre a i 3. An umbrella rib comprising a rib member and a brace member said ybrace member irovided with -apair of extensions at its lower end and a pair,- of extensions at a point removed from its up "er end, said extensions adapted to overlapt ie" rib member, thereby connecting the rib member to the brace member, that portion` of the brace 'member from the upper pair of extensions projecting in a curvilinear manner with respect to the upper portion of the rib member.

4. An umbrella rib comprising a rib meinber and a brace member said brace member rovided with a pair of extensions lat its ower end and a pair of extensions at a point removed from its up )er end, said extensions adapted to overlap t ie rib member thereby connecting the rib member to the brace member, that portion of the brace member from the upper pair of extensions projecting in a curvilinear manner with iespect to the upper portion of the rib member, said rib member rovided with an eye projecting from the race member to which isadapted to be secured the umbrella cover, that portion of the brace member projecting from the upper pair of extensions constituting a support for the umbrella, above the up er point of connection between the rib mem er and brace member.

removed from its up er end, said extensions adapted to @verla t ie rib member thereby connecting the ri member to the brace member, that portion of the brace mem-ber from the u'fper pair of extensions projecting in a curvilinear manner with respect to the upper porti-on of the rib member, saidV rib member provided with an eye projecting from thc brace member and to which is adapted to be secured the umbrella cover, that portion of the brace member projecting from the upper pair of extensions constituting a support for the umbrella, above the upper point of connection between the rib member and brace member, that portion of the brace member extending from the up er pair of extensions of greater length than t iat portion of the rib member from the upper oint of connection between the said memers'.

6. 'lhe combination with the runner of an umbrella and the notched collar of an uinbrella which secured to the umbrella stick, of an umbreiia rib embed ing a rib member and a brace member, said race member connected to ssjd collar and said rib member connected with said runner, said rib member of a length as to extend in close proximity, to the lower end of the brace member, said brace member provided with means for connecting the major portion of the rib member thereto, the upper portion of the brace .member projecting away from the upper portio i of the rib member in a curvilinear manner.

7. The combination with the runner of an umbrella and the notched collar of an um,

brace member provided with means for connecting the major portion of the rib member thereto, the ripper portion of the brace mem- .ber projectingr away from the upper portion of t e rib member in a curvilinear manner, said rib member provided with an eye projecting from the lower por tionof the brace member and providingr means to which the umbrella\ cover can be, attached, that ortion of the brace member which projects tiiom the upper portion of the rib member constituting a support for the cover.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witmesses.

MICHAEL GMCGUIRE.

- CEAS. S. HYER.

i l l l 

